Ash quietly made his way out of his tent, the moon was still high in the sky, but he was wide awake. Making as little noise as possible, he made his way back to the basin, seeing the moon's reflection in the still waters.
"Nothing like a clear sky, huh." Wally said, from a few feet away. "You couldn't sleep either huh?"
"No." Ash admitted. "Can't stop thinking about Feebas."
"Why don't you send her out, not like she's going anywhere just yet." Wally said. "Plus this basin is fed from her river, she'll probably enjoy it."
"Good idea." Ash said. "Come on out Feebas."
Feebas came out of her Pokeball, easily diving into the basin without making a splash.
"Bas!" Feebas said, excitedly popping back up to the surface.
"Hey Feebas, do these water's seem familiar?" Ash asked, kneeling down at the shore.
"Bas Bas." Feebas said, splashing Ash with some water.
"I think she's just happy to be out of her Pokeball." Wally commented.
"Not much I can do about it." Ash sighed. "I had a friend with a similar problem once before. She had a few Pokemon that needed large bodies of water, but we were never nearby them long enough. She ended up leaving a few of them back at home where there was a giant swimming arena and plenty of tanks for them to swim in."
"And none of us exactly have that kind of equipment here in Hoenn." Wally realized. "And we've had so much time stuck in the mountains, you've never been able to let her get out and swim."
"Exactly. So I know why I'm up, but why are you awake right now?" Ash asked, turning to Wally.
"Can't sleep, a lot has been on my mind." Wally admitted. "With Wanda finally admitting I'm stronger on my own without needing everyone and everything's help, I'm starting to wonder what I should be doing next."
"Well, you've already earned a badge, and a ribbon. Maybe you could look into those." Ash offered.
"Maybe, I don't want to compete against either you or Brendan, so maybe next season I'll go for it." Wally said.
"Bas!" Feebas cried out, redirecting the two trainer's attention back to the basin, to see a net lifting Feebas along with others up and into the air.
"No. Don't tell me." Ash groaned. "After the earlier fake out too?"
"What do you mean fake out?" Wally asked.
High into the air a burst of light shone in the darkness.
"Prepare for trouble." A woman said.
"And make it double." A man said.
"To protect the world from devastation." The woman said.
"To unite all peoples within our nation." The man said.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love." The woman said.
"To extend our reach to the stars above." The man said.
"Jessie." The woman said.
"James." The man said.
"Meowth, that's right." A third voice said.
"Wobbuffet!"
"Chime Chime."
"Team Rocket!" Ash called out.
"Is that the twerp?" Jessie questioned.
"We haven't seen him in months." James said. "Ever since the Johto League."
"Ash, do you know them?" Wally asked.
"Unfortunatley, yes." Ash said. "I won't let you take Feebas away from here again!"
"Again?" Meowth questioned. "This is the first time we've been here. Hey James what's a Feebas?"
"My cards say its a fish Pokemon, native to rapid waters, it can even evolve into a Milotic under specific circumstances." James said.
"A Milotic!" Jessie said. "Oh, I must have it!"
"I won't let that happen!" Ash said. "Grovyle come on out!"
"We aren't going down without a fight. Weezing come out!" James said.
"Seviper, I choose you!" Jessie called out.
"Vibrava I choose you!" Wally called out, backing up Ash.
"Grovyle use Leaf Blade!" Ash called.
"Weezing use Tackle!"
"Seviper use Poison Tail!"
"Vibrava use Dragon Breath!"
Grovyle leapt from the ground onto Vibrava, and then off of the dragon onto Weezing, before leaping at the net, cutting all the water Pokemon free. VIbrava fired off his attack at Team Rocket's pokemon, blasting the two backwards.
"Ash, are these the people you said you had experience sending flying?" Wally asked.
"The very ones." Ash said.
"Alright." Wally said. "Vibrava use Dragonbreath!"
Vibrava sent off another stream of blue flames, overloading the feeder of Team Rocket's hot air balloon, sending it rocketing into the sky and far away.
"Feebas." Ash said, remembering his Pokemon.
"Bas. Bas." Feebas said, swimming up to her trainer.
"Feebas, I'm so glad to see you're alright." Ash sighed in relief.
"Well, looks like we won't be getting much sleep tonight." Wally said, seeing the sun begin to rise off in the horizon.
"Ahh, we've had worse night sleeps." Ash joked, stretching.
"Do you think that's the last we'll see of them?" Wally asked.
"I doubt it." Ash admitted. "They haven't given up easily before."
Just outside of Fortree City
"Jessie, look at this. A P2 contest." James said.
"P2?" Jessie asked.
"Exactly, according to this you just need 2 ribbons and 2 different Pokemon to enter it." James said.
"Good, all I need is this last one." Jessie said, opening her ribbon case showing four different ribbons.